A house in the Caribbean? How did that happen???
My husband and I travelled across continents to the US for a college education. We got corporate jobs, settled down and put three children though college. We have a wide set of friends, are active in church and have vacationed a bit in Europe and South America. We love the outdoors and enjoy exercising, hiking and biking. We had vague ideas about retiring someday. Then, unexpectedly, came clarity and action.
In 2018, our daughter Reena took us to Puerto Rico for Spring Break. It was six months after Hurricane Maria. The island was reminiscent of Zambia and India where we had spend our nascent years. My husband and I loved the Puerto Rican experience. By the end of the week I had contacted a realtor and we had driven by a few properties!
Why I fell in LOVE with Puerto Rico
- Puerto Rico has one of the most unvarying climates in the world. Temperatures year-round range from 75° to 85°F.
- The tropical forest is beautiful with dense vegetation, rivers, waterfalls, swimming holes and mountains.
- The beaches are incredible with clear blue waters, soft sand and palm trees
- Tropical fruits and plants (mangos, papayas, bananas, hibiscus, bougainvillea, bird of paradise, etc.,) grow literally everywhere.
- The locals are very friendly and many of them speak English.
- It is part of the US (no passport or unfamiliar currency needed), but still has an exotic Caribbean/Spanish vibe.
- The food tastes great and can be inexpensive if you eat with the locals.
- It’s a 4 hour direct flight from Philly, and can be reasonably priced.
- It’s a gardener’s paradise – I’m done with short growing seasons!
- There are so many things to do – history, sports, adventures, nature, relaxation, music & culture.
I’m always ready to talk about Puerto Rico and post long stories about our experiences on Facebook. While Facebook is a great medium, content gets lost in one’s feed. On this site, it will be organized and easy to read at any time. A living photo album or scrapbook.
My Goals for this Blog
- Document my adventures for future generations. My parents left India in the sixties and traveled to Zambia. That must have been a daunting experience. A huge cultural shift. No TV or Internet to prepare the way. When I moved to the US in the eighties, my expectations were set by American TV which was so unreal. In any case neither of these huge, life changing moments were documented. My grandchildren may be fluent in Spanish and will be able to read how that came to be. They will say “Wow, our grandma and grandpa were pioneers and adventurers !“
- Share my experiences so that others may benefit, whether they visit Puerto Rico as a tourist or decide to create a home there. Especially my family and friends.
- Encourage tourism! It’s a perfect place to vacation, but very few realize that a week in Puerto Rico is no more difficult to plan and execute than a week at a nearby beach. Plus it can be a more beautiful and adventurous getaway anytime of the year.
- Create awareness of opportunities to help local communities. Rebuilding after hurricanes and earthquakes is an ongoing effort.
- Improve my writing and storytelling skills.
- Take better pictures with nothing more than a iPhone.
- Learn new technologies, design and social marketing skills.
- Connect with others who appreciate the same things I do.
- Inspire others to make big moves to chase their dreams.
- Document recipes on how to use the abundance of fruit and vegetables from my garden.